Commanding officers have allegedly been telephonically asking jawans for their voting preference rather than supplying them with ballot paper.

Avny Lavasa, the deputy commissioner and the district election officer for Leh wrote to the general officer commanding of the HQ 14 Corps highlighting a massive violation of election practice on May 10.

In the letter to the Indian Army, Lavasa wrote, “A complaint has been received from the contesting candidate for the 4-Ladakh Parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha elections, 2019, wherein it is alleged that there are malpractices on the part of various commanding officers of the Indian Army in the electronic postal ballot system. It is alleged that the commanding officers are telephonically asking jawans for their voting preference rather than supplying them the ballot paper for casting his vote.”

Shocking : Dy Commissioner Leh writes to Army about gross violation of electronic ballot system by Army officers, says "Commanding officers found seeking electoral preferences from jawans on phone instead of providing ballot papers to them." DC warns army of strict legal actions pic.twitter.com/GpVPl9wNqr

Lavasa further added that this was a gross violation of the secrecy of voting, while also being and malpractice that had the potential to invite “strict legal action”. In this context, Lavasa requested, that all the concerned officers should be sensitised about the issue so that “the sanctity of the election process maintained”.